Texas RB D’Onta Foreman Declares For the 2017 NFL Draft

RB D’Onta Foreman, Texas, Jr.

6-1, 249 pounds with good enough speed in the open field to go along with his power. The ultimate workhorse this season, he gained 2,028 yards and 15 scores averaging 6.58 yards per run on a whopping 323 carries. While he missed the second game of the year against UTEP, he finished strong with 32 carries or more in each of the last five games including a 51-carry, 250-yard, two score day against Kansas.

D’Onta Foreman Draft Projection

He’s a late first round talent who’ll likely go late second round to the early third. This is a stocked class of running backs with Leonard Fournette, Dalvin Cook, Royce Freeman and Christian McCaffrey all certain to go ahead of him, and with Wayne Gallman, Jeremy McNichols, Nick Chubb, Samaje Perine, and Corey Clement all in the same range and mix.

Can He Play In THE League?

He’s a big, tough, workmanlike back who can carry and offense and pound away on a defense, but he wasn’t used enough as a receiver and had a fumbling issue at times. However, for any of the issues and concerns, in today’s day and age of NFL running back rotations, he can be a No. 1 runner with nice patience and good finishing ability. He’s agile for his size and can tear off big runs with a little space – he’s got deceptive quickness. Now he has to work on his hands and has to be more of a receiver while getting better at ball security.

Right or Wrong Move?

The only move. Backs like him with his style have a short shelf life, and the last thing he needs is another 300+ touches at the collegiate level. With a new coaching staff coming in, and coming off a historic year, his stock will never be higher.

What’s Next For Texas?

QB Shane Buechele is the star of the offensive show, but in the backfield it’ll be Chris Warren who’ll take on most of the workload, at least early on. Hurt early this season, Warren finished with just 366 yards and three scores, but in 2015 he closed out the year on fire, tearing through Texas Tech for 276 yards and four scores, and ripping up Baylor for 106 yards on 28 carries.